Improvement in scaffolds for builders



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLE PETER AMBROSIUSEN, OF COPENHAGEN, DENMARK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SCAFFOLDS l-OR BUILDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 153,471, dated July 28, 1874; application filed May 6, 1874.

, To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, OLE PETER AMBRO- sIUsEN, of the city of Copenhagen, Denmark, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Movable and Adjustable Scaffolding for builders and carpenters use, or for the use of painters, plasterers, and other trades engaged in the construction, repair, and ornamentation of buildings and dwellings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a clear and exact description of my invention, such as will enable others skilled in the arts to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the drawings forming part of this specification.

My invention consists in the combination of a vertical upright, carrying a sliding platform, with a detachable and adjustable upper head or rest, and in the construction and arrangement of these devices. Its object is to provide an easy method of repairing or ornamenting the facade of buildings, so as to avoid the cumbersome temporary scaffolding now ordinarily used for such purposes.

By reference to the drawings, it will be seen that Figure 1 represents a front view of a portion of the facade of a building upon which my improved scaffolding has been placed in position. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of my improvedscaffolding placed in position, and the remaining figures show the details of my invention, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

The upright A consists of a series of square tubes, preferably constructed. of wooden boards firmly united longitudinally, and provided with interior braces to addto the strength of the said tubes when put together. Each of these tubes is provided at one end with a solid square block, corresponding to the interior dimensions of the tube into which it is firmly united, and which, therefore, will fit snugly into the hollow bottom of the next length of tube. In this manner the upright A may be made of any desired length. The solid bottom piece A is inserted into the bottom of the lowermost tube, and is provided with a spike, a, which keeps the upright, when in a standing position, firmly on the ground, preventing lateral motion; or this spike may be substituted by a tap pivoted in a hole in a gudgeonblock, which latter then forms the basis for the apparatus.

The upright A is first made of the desired length, (to correspond to the height of the wall,) and the bottom piece A is then inserted. The next step is to shove the square iron tube B onto the upright while this is lying down, which may be done from either end. B is of sufficiently large dimensions to slide'easily on A, and two of its sides opposite each other are prolonged below the tube B proper, as shown at B, and terminate in angular slotted hooks or projections 1). While the upright, with its slide B, is still in a flat position, the hoisting-rope O is atttached to B at c, and carried up over the pulley d, then through a block behind, and back through the pulley d, and down again on the same side of the upright, where it may be made fast to B at the binnacle 6. This done, the next step is to raise the upright with its slide, which is done. in the usual manner, by a 'crane provided with ropes and pulleys, attached to one of the windows in the upper story, or to the roof. When in the proper position the bottom piece A is stepped into the center of a square hole cut in the middle of the platform D, of such dimensions that it will enable D to slide easily up and down the upright A. The slide B is then lowered until the hooks I) touch the platform, to which they are secured by eyes f entering the slots in said hooks, to which they are firmly secured by pins passing through said eyes above the hooks. g g are iron rods hooked onto B at h, and onto the platform D at c', as shown. There are four of these rods, one hooked onto each corner of the slide B, and onto each corresponding corner of the platform D, resp ct ively, but only two 'are shown in the drawing. By this arrangement the platform has six points of support, and will, when hoisted up along the upright by means of the slide B, to which it is attached, sustain a great weight without danger of breaking. When the platform has been thus properly placed in position and secured, the railings or bannisters 7c, formed of wooden slats, are placed in position, to prevent accident to the workmen on the platform. I prefer, however, to lean the railing, or at least a-portion of it, away on that side of the platform which is nearest the building operated upon.

\Vhile the platform I) is being placed in position below, another man on the roof or in an upper-story window attaches the braces E and guy-rope F to the top of the upright, so as to keep the upper part of A firmly and securely in position. These braces, of which a top plan is represented in Fig. 5, consist of two arms, E E, coiwerging to a point at l, where they are firmly secured to the square iron clanip m, one angle of which, m, (forming two of the sides,) is hinged at 'n to the body of the said clamp. By throwing open m, the clamp is easily adjusted onto the upper part of A, as plainly shown in the drawing; and when in the right position, the clamp is locked by means of the slotted hook 0, eye 1), and pin q. The guy-rope F is then carried around and secured onto the project ing staples T, which are attached to the front part of the clamp, from whence they are carried on both sides to any suitable support, and there made fast. To add to the strength and stiffness of the braces E E, there are other braces which unite these, as shown in the drawin It will thus be seen that when the upright A, with its slide and platform, is in its proper position, it is supported on top by the braces E E, leaning against the wall G, and by guyrope F, which prey'ents lateral motion or swaying of the top.

I am aware that it is not new to placea sliding platform operated by ropes and hoisting devices on an upright; nor do I claim the construction of an upright used for such purpose in sections, so that its height maybe adjusted; but

hat I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with the adjustable sectional upright A, carrying the slide B and platform D, the horizontal adjustable brace or rest E, constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The platform D and removable bannisters It, in combination with the carrying-rods g g, arms B, and slide B, all arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

O. P. AMBROSIUSEN.

Witnesses A. T. HJoRTH, (J. T. HEINE'r'r. 

